In my last blog post I talked about how my shin splints were persisting and my training plan was pretty much out of the window with me concentrating on my recovery.

I’m happy to report that my leg is recovering well and progress is being made with my running. After giving my leg a good amount of rest I’ve pretty much started back at the beginning with some light treadmill running, doing only 15 minutes at a much slower pace than I would normally run.

Each week I’ve slowly increased the amount of time I’m running by 5-10 minutes while keeping at the 6 mile an hour pace. As I’ve been doing shorter runs I’ve kept my general fitness up by doing a 40 minute to an hour spin bike session at the gym instead. This has really helped condition the tops of my legs and hamstrings.

I’ve now reached 50 minutes of running, three times a week and have started putting in some sessions back on the road. It’s a huge relief to not be getting any pain anymore or tenderness in the area. There is a bit of stiffness and tightness around the tendon which tells me I still need to be cautious and not do anything stupid like pushing myself to do a long run. I’m pretty much resigned to the fact that I won’t be getting a high mileage run in again before the marathon. If I can get to an hour of road running, 3 times a week with a bit of cycling thrown in too I will be fairly happy. It’s really not ideal and means I will no doubt feel the after effects of the marathon much more but at least I will make the start line injury free which is important.

I’ve had to be so disciplined to not rush my recovery. It’s tough running at a much slower pace than I’m used to. I’m hoping if I stick to a slower pace while doing the marathon I should find it not as exhausting and more comfortable. Maybe that’s just wishful thinking! I’ve been speaking to a few other people either through work or at the gym who are also doing the marathon. I’m not alone with my niggles and injuries as they are also having their own issues but it’s still frustrating to hear of their long runs which is giving them the confidence to know they will manage the marathon well. I know I reached 17 miles but it feels an awful long time ago. I have to keep telling myself that my fitness is great, my legs feel strong and well conditioned through the personal training sessions and cycling and that I’ve pushed myself mentally and physically before and succeeded.

With less than 4 weeks to go it’s all starting to feel so very real, especially now that I have received my race number! The excitement is building and fingers crossed I will continue to progress well with my recovery and running. I’ve been overwhelmed by the support and well wishes with my recovery. There is still plenty of time to support me with a donation if you haven’t done so already. Please visit my Just Giving page if you wish to donate. All proceeds go directly to the charity. Thank you!